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“My pillow was lumpy.”
“I’m feeling pine,” Danny said, smirking.
“Your puns are growing on me,” I admitted, my cheeks instantly heating up when I looked at him, so I lowered my head. “Well, I better have a quick shower, then I’m taking you out for breakfast.”
In the bathroom, I noticed my peppermint lotion had been screwed back on and tucked near my toiletries bag where I’d left it last. I wasn’t sure how to feel that he had used my lotion. A bit insulted or secretly happy he chose it for his pleasure?
Shaking my head and telling myself that I needed to get my head on straight, I jumped into the shower.
When I finished, dressed in jeans, several layers of tops and my long coat, my blonde hair blow dried; I was ready to eat something.
“I am so hungry,” I admitted.
“Got some bad news.” Max looked up at me, worry sliding over his expression.
“It’s the storm isn’t it?”
He nodded. “It was so strong last night and icy that all planes are grounded today and probably for another day or so.”
I sighed. “Are you two planning on staying in town, or--”
“We’ve got a room, so we’re bunkering down here and enjoying Chicago.” Danny’s blue eyes seemed to sparkle, and he seemed to always be in a good mood. I liked that about him. Heck so far I liked everything about both of them.
“So, I can stay with you both until the planes are back up? I’ll pay for dinners, I doubt I could afford this place, but I can pay for other things?” I quickly blurted.
“Snow thank you,” he murmured, eliciting a smile out of me. “Your company is plenty enough, and I do believe we’ve been tasked with putting you on Santa’s naughty list, so we have a few days to achieve this. Unless you’re the one backing out now.” He raised a brow.
I scoffed at him. “As if. This is my chance to be someone else for a few days.” I regretted my words as they flew past my lips, especially with the looks on their faces like I’d just dared them. “I mean, we don’t have to go wild or anything.”
Danny broke out into a dramatic malevolent laugh, and I rolled my eyes.
“Okay, let’s go get some food.”
Max joined me to leave the hotel room, while Danny kept cackling behind us.
There was something about these two that made me feel at ease, like I could trust them even though I barely knew them, and well there was also the obvious attraction. I couldn’t get that aspect out of my mind. And after this morning’s incident, I couldn’t get the image out of my head no matter how hard I tried.
Chicago was freezing. It was the kind of cold that seeped through your clothes no matter how warm your coat was, or how many layers you had on. The hotel was situated right by the river. It was the perfect location as it was just a block from Michigan Avenue.
Despite how cold it was, after breakfast at one of the hotel’s restaurants, or more like early lunch since it was almost noon, we decided to walk to Michigan Avenue.
I blew into my gloved hands, as if that would somehow help to warm me up. It wasn't negative degrees yet, but it was a lot colder than New York ever got.
Danny threw an arm around my shoulder, and the feel of it changed the cause of my shivers from the weather to how good it felt for him to touch me.
Both of these guys had my stomach twisting up in knots.
"Belle," I heard my name from behind me. Danny and I stopped and turned around. I had thought that Max was right behind us, but he had stopped a little ways back. He was standing by a snowdrift that was separated from the sidewalk by a small alleyway. I guess the Chicago snow plows had decided that was the best place to push the snow.
"Get over here," he ordered in that intense voice of his. I was an independent woman, but some primal part inside of me responded to the authority in his voice and I was getting goosebumps just from the sound of it.
I could only imagine what he would be like in the bedroom. And those earlier shivers from the morning returned. I swallowed quickly and tried to push the thoughts aside.
Stop thinking like that, I ordered myself.
"Let's go see what Scrooge wants over there," Danny joked, taking my hand and pulling me after him towards Max.
"You called," I asked wryly, the sass in my voice making Max's eyes spark as if he was thinking of ways to punish me. Once again delicious shivers passed over me that had nothing to do with the cold. In fact, I was starting to feel quite toasty.
